José Julián Frontal, baritone

 

This versatile baritone, very well known for his acting skills, is developing an intense career in the major theaters of Europe, America and Asia. Singer, actor and writer, José Julián Frontal addresses a wide lyrical repertoire that includes opera, spanish zarzuela and concert. At the age of 19, José Julián Frontal begins his musical instruction at Katarina Gurska Music Accademy in Madrid with Julio Pardo. He studies clarinet and requinto at Music Conservatory. He completes his training at George Enescu Conservatory in Bucarest and at Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia (USA) with Bill Schuman.

In 1994, José Julián Frontal won the International Singing Contest Ciudad de Logroño and the second prize in International Contest Jaime Aragall. In 1996 also obtained the second prize of Guerrero Foundation, of the International Contest Alfredo Kraus and the Special Prize from SGAE as the best performer of spanish music. He makes his debut in opera as Malatesta (Don Pasquale) at Teatro de la Zarzuela and his debut in zarzuela was with the rol of Germán (La del Soto del Parral) in Cordoba for the season 1994-95. That season he also sings Figaro from Il Barbiere di Siviglia in Jerez and Medellin, Count di Luna from Il Trovatore in Philadelphia and Geronio from Il Turco in Italia in Tokyo, where he was awarded as the best performer of the season.

José Julián Frontal has also played Taddeo from L’Italiana in Algeri at Teatro San Carlos in Lisbon and Luxembourg, Marcello from La Bohème at Teatro Real in Madrid, Count Almaviva from Le nozze di Figaro in Washington and Porto, Belfiore from Verdi ́s Un giorno di regno in La Coruña, Silvio from Pagliacci in Santiago de Chile, as well as Mercutio from Romeo et Juliette in Seville and Tokyo. In the same way, he has performed the role of Ford from Falstaff and Dandini from Cinderella at Teatro Real in Madrid. His zarzuela repertoire also includes other relevant roles such as Joaquin from La del Manojo de Rosas, Miguel from La Parranda in places like Madrid, Murcia, Oviedo, Sevilla, La Coruña, Santiago and Valencia and Rafael (La Calesera) or Juan de Eguía (La Tabernera del Puerto) at Teatro de la Zarzuela in Madrid.

In recent years, José Julián Frontal has included new roles to his already wide repertoire, as Alfio (Cavalleria Rusticana), Escamillo (Carmen), Germont (La Traviata), Don Giovanni and Juanillo (El Gato Montés), always with great success and remarkable reviews. He has recorded for Gramophone and RTVE labels the following titles: Adiós a la bohemia, Il dissoluto punito by R. Carnicer, Don Quichotte by M. García, La Gran Vía and El Bateo by Chueca and Valverde and Curro el de Lora by F. Alonso.

José Julián Frontal is the creator, writer and director of DIVA’S -a music-theater show in two acts. Last December he presented his first book of poems Aprendiz de Poeta.